Myst Effect
by TheDistressedOne
Summary: This story follows the adventures of Alex and Seth, best friends who find a magical book that takes them to a strange island known as Myst. From that island, they find another book that has the power to take them to their favorite game world, Mass Effect. What adventures shall they find in these worlds? Will they return to Earth? Will Shepard be male or female? Stay tuned!


Prologue: And So Our Story Begins...

_-"I realized the moment I fell into the Fissure that the Book would not be destroyed as I had planned. It continued falling into that starry expanse of which I caught only a fleeting glimpse. I have tried to speculate where it might have landed, but I must admit that such conjecture is futile. Still, questions about whose hands may one day hold my Myst Book are unsettling to me. I realize my apprehensions might never be allayed, and so I close, realizing that perhaps the ending has not yet been Written."-_

_-Diary of Atrus, 19th Century Earthen Years_-

* * *

"Alex, you're an idiot."

The next time I go to a library with Seth, I better make sure he's not air-guitaring to Rise Against.

"Hey man, it's not my fault you weren't able to hear me coming down the hall."

"Well Alex, if you were paying attention to where you were moving that book cart, then maybe I wouldn't have knocked over these bookcases."

I look over at the destructive force of our combined power of idiocy. Man, I guess I should've watched where I was pushing that cart, but Seth was being stupid too. The hell was he doing dancing around tall, closely placed bookcases? He doesn't even read that much.

"Never mind," I mumble to him. "Let's just hurry up and get outta here. It's already been about an hour since the library closed, and I want to get outta here before it gets too dark outside."

In fact, it's getting really dark outside. It's only about 8 PM, and summer's about half way through, so the sun couldn't have set THAT fast.

Oh I see, a storm is brewing up outside. Actually, the storm looks like it's getting pretty nasty...

"Alex, you OK?" Seth grunts as he tries to lift up the last bookcase. "Gimme a hand, will you?"

Of course I'm ok! I love storms, even though they scare me to death. I guess it's part of the thrill. It's like nature's rock and roll!

... OK, that was kinda cheesy. I've always dreamed of being a composer, and the idea of one day capturing nature in music excites me greatly. I guess I still wonder why I became a writer instead of a composer. Plus, I'm incredibly outgoing and socially awkward in that non-drunk 24/7 sort of way, I'm looking at you Stephen King. It's because of you that I have to deal with stupid stereotypes...

Wait... what was I supposed to do again?**  
**

**"**Alex! Dude snap out of it and help me lift this before I rip my back in half!"

"Sorry man!" Whoa, he wasn't kidding, this thing is heavy. The heck is this bookcase made out of? Half of the books are on the floor to top it off. Alright, there we go, last bookcase up. "Ok, let's put the rest of these books back."

"Man, this is the last time I'm going with you to an antique bookstore, or any bookstore with you for that matter. I wanted to finally finish Mass Effect 3 and see that terrible ending that everyone and their kid has been freaking out about."

Poor Seth, so naive of the fate that awaits him. He and I have been best friends ever since high school, and the one thing I've definitely come to learn about him is that he sometimes too optimistic for his own good, despite being mostly a cynical person. Humph, I kinda find that ironic, in a way.

"I thought you liked old books." I say with a grin. It's true, Seth does like old books. Reading isn't exactly his forte though. He says old books give him great ideas for game story concepts. I've kept telling him if he wants to be successful in making games, he is going to have to come up with something original. He then responds with something along the lines of 'All original concepts are just stolen ideas made better'. There is true wisdom in that one, there is.

Seth looks sheepishly to the side.

"...Maybe... look, I let's just put away these books ASAP. It looks like there's a funnel cloud forming outside, and I REALLY don't want to go to Oz, I'm taking Jenny to a Rise Against concert tomorrow."

I glare at him. "Why don't you ever invite me along too?"

"Because you're always too busy with some concert or thing you gotta go to. Learn to manage your schedule sir!"

I roll my eyes in slight annoyance. Yeah, that is true. I really do need to find some time to chill out. I guess I just feel I have an obligation to overwork myself, if only for my grandfather's sake. Never mind, I gotta hurry up and help Seth put away these books.

* * *

OK, that took way longer than I thought. I think those books made me smell like old socks.

"Damn..." Seth breathes out heavily as he places the last book into the bookshelf. "I don't want to hold another book again. I can't wait for the future when paper no longer exists..."

I crack my back with satisfaction and agreement. "C'mon, let's get back to the apartment. I gotta feed my cat too."

"Alright Alex, I got the keys – wait. I think I dropped the keys. Dammit, help me look for them."

Seth you idiot, this is why I don't let you hold onto my car keys! I'm sure the keys are here somewhere... I don't want to crawl down and have to look under each of the shelves for it. Wait, I think I saw it under this bookcase! Let's see, just reach a little further and – Hey that's not keys... A book? Oh, I guess we forgot one more. Gross, this book feels all soggy too. How old is this thing? Let's see what book it is...

Oh my god...

"Hey Seth, look at this."

Seth sighs heavily as he yanks himself up from the ground. "Alex, what is it now? Please don't tell me you can't find the keys."

"No no I found them, but dude, look at this book! Read the title, you're not gonna believe this."

"Alright alright..." He grabs the book from my hand, and I can't help but chuckle as his eyes slowly widen.

"This, th-" he begins to stammer. "This has to be a joke! What, did someone write an actual novel of the game?"

I grab the book back from him as I stare at the title. I don't think I've been this perplexed in my entire life, and yet, I can't help but feel a touch of excitement. Quietly, I whisper to myself the title of the book, almost attempting to taste the excitement I have growing inside of me.

"...**MYST**."

This can't be real. I've never heard of the game being green lit for a novel interpretation? Yet then again it took 6 years after its initial release for me to realize there was an actual Mario movie made... My childhood has forever been scarred by that monster...

"Alright..." I think it's time we actually read this book. "There's only one way to find out if this is legit."

"Hold on," thought clouds Seth's expression. "How could this be the ACTUAL book of Myst. I admit, it looks quite convincing, but what if some author just got the rights to write the book?"

He has a point. Although, the binding doesn't seem to show mark of any publisher, and on the inside of the book there is – What the heck?

"Yeah, OK Seth, I'd believe that, if I didn't see this." I start handing him the book, when suddenly the text on the pages begins to move. Wait, MOVE? I'm pretty sure I'm not on anything...

Seth backs away as his eyes deepen into the pages of the book. "That text, what language is that? It's definitely not English... And how the heck is it moving? You didn't put anything in that soda you gave me earlier, did you?"

"Of course not! I was beginning to think the same thing. The language is called D'ni, its the language of the people who exist in the world of Myst, and I have no idea why it's moving... Hold on, look! The words are forming an image on the page."

This is freaking awesome! The words slowly form into the image of an island; resting in the far off distance along the mist of the horizon. The image gets closer and closer as the words sweep across the pages. I can almost feel the wind brushing through my hair as the words slowly descend upon the island.

The image approaches a sunken ship on the side of the island, and the words finally come to rest as the image abruptly stops on the end of a wooden dock on the side of the island. In the image, the wind is blowing loudly, almost as if it is trying to grab us into the book. Rain is slowly falling upon the island.

"OK." Seth speaks up. "I must be high. Yeah, that's it. No, I must be drunk. Wait, I didn't have the worm at the bottom of the tequila glass at the bar, did I?"

I'm too busy staring at the dock to pay any attention to what Seth is saying. This is it... This is actually Atrus' Myst book! I wonder what this island holds for us. How come we found it? How did it even get to our world? I don't think Atrus was able to reach Riven to throw the book into the space fissure...

"Seth, we have to go into this book."

"What?" Seth grabs my shoulder and jerks my attention at him. "Are you nuts? Yeah sure, there's no denying that this is the actual Myst book, and sure, I'm all for adventure and stuff, but what if we can't get back? I gotta life here ya know!"

I look at the book, and then back at Seth. "You know what? You're right. That's why I'm gonna let you go first!" I grab his hand and place it on the image.

Oh my god, the grounds splitting open! OK, this wasn't a good idea at all, maybe I should've – Seth! He's getting stretched into the book! My god that's disgusting! It's like he's being sucked into a black hole.

"ALEX!" Seth shouts, his sounding distorted. "SCREW YOU!"

Wait, hey what? AH! He grabbed my arm! Oh god I'm being dragged in too! What's that weird buzzing noise? Oh Jesus, it's getting so damn loud! I can't bare it anymore! OH SH – !

* * *

Oh god, my head... What just – Oh my...

Underneath me is a wooden dock, well rotted by years gone by. Seth is standing above me, his face as pale as a ghost. He turns to me and helps me up.

"OK, Seth, this is officially tripping me out. Where... are we ACTUALLY on Myst Island...?"

Seth turns to me, and oddly enough he grins broadly to me, then turns his attention forward.

"Well my friend, it would seem that is so. Now let's just hope this doesn't turn into a really weird reboot of Lost."

* * *

**Author's Note**

**OK guys, thanks for reading my first chapter! It was kinda short, but I promise that future chapters will be far larger. My schedule is kinda weird, so uploading periods will be really crazy, but I'll try to be as consistent as possible. Also, thanks to good friend Dennis for inspiring me to write this Fan Fic, and I look forward to seeing how this goes!**

**Final note, YES Alex and Seth will actually be going to the Mass Effect universe in the next chapter. Do not worry.**

**Till next time dear reader.**


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